Still got you
by fangirlcinder
Summary: Mac has resigned, but he really needs Jack to save his back when he falls into wrong hands. What are friends for? More likely, what is family for? Set directly after season 2.
1. Chapter 1

Betrayal had wounded him like a double-edged sword after the shocking revelations of the past 36 hours. Resigning from Phoenix was rationally the right thing to do, but right now it had more to do with fleeing the intense fallout of blinding pain.

Mac had planned to leave immediately after confirming his decision to quit and had kept his fragile composure walking out of the Phoenix offices. Now his emotions flooded over him in relentless tsunamis, leaving him gasping for breath. His father had been there all this time, knew everything about him, even directed the steps of his life, and yet had no desire to connect with him. Always hidden by a one-way glass. Separated by a go-between, first Patricia, and now Matty. The more Mac's thoughts whirled about his father's cold, calculated detachment, the faster his world imploded. This was way worse than any situation he had been in before. Even when he was in Murdoc's crazed clutches, at least he had a chance to escape. But there was no way of getting away from this. Finding out that his own flesh and blood had rejected him had detonated a bomb that Mac was unable to defuse, and it had blown a hole in his heart.

His fingers fumbled as he opened the door of his car. He slid in and sped out of the parking garage without a single glance back.

Beep, beep, beep. Jack was already calling. Mac switched off his cell. He felt guilty, but he was incapable of talking to anybody now. One word would have opened the sluice gates and he would wash up an emotional mess. Jack had seen him in emotional situations before, but this was different. Hot tears slipped down his cheeks and he didn't bother to wipe them away. He would call Jack back later and explain.

Instead of going home, Mac turned right, heading towards the beach. There was a cove he used to visit on the odd occasion when he wanted to be alone. Right now, that was the best place he could think of going to start picking up the fragments of his life and piecing them back together.

Mac pulled up into the empty parking lot, relieved to see the beach was deserted. He headed to the solitary spot among the rocks and resignedly sank into a patch of dry sand. The last time he had been there was to mourn Nikki's faked death. Leaning against a giant boulder, he hugged his knees to his chin, the solidity of the rock behind him imparting a comforting sense of stability.

He rubbed his neck, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. If only he had stopped looked for his father, he would not be in this situation. Life would have carried on as normal. He loved his job at Phoenix and he worked with an awesome bunch of people who were, in essence, his family. This was all lost now. He took out his cell, briefly thinking about switching it on, but slipped it back into his pocket. He was not ready to engage with the world just yet.

Staring at the sea had a calming effect and his thoughts turned to the future. His life would be his own now. He would start over and focus on something else. Hopefully something with Jack, like they had discussed, perhaps a security company in Hawaii. It would be far, far away from his biological father. Mac had no intention of ever contacting James Macgyver again.

As Mac tossed a shell into the swirling foam of a retreating wave, he noticed a figure walking across the beach, heading in his direction. A woman, Mac registered, her face hidden by the brim of a bright yellow sun hat. Her beach towel was wrapped around her waist and she carried sneakers in one hand. He absentmindedly watched her and as she approached, Mac stared. Something about her was familiar.

"Hello, Mac," she lifted her head.

"Nikki!" Mac shifted in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Coming to collect you, because we're going to take a little trip," she said, stepping up to him.

"I'm not in the mood to go anywhere."

She reached into her jacket, drew out a gun and aimed it at him, the metal glinting in the sun.

Mac's breath caught. "And I thought you were on the good side now!" He started to get up, trying to mask the tension that had shot through his body.

She raised her brows in warning. "Don't move, Mac."

"What are you going to do? Shoot me?" Mac's eyes narrowed.

"You know I could. Not to kill you, but I could wound you."

"You've done _that_ before and it didn't bother you," he said coolly.

"But that's not what I want to do!" Nikki was getting annoyed. Mac was stalling her, and all she wanted was to make this a quick, clean sweep.

"I'm not here alone," she announced, "So here's the deal, you do exactly what we want, Mac, and you won't get hurt." Three men, dressed in full combat gear, approached from behind the rocks, surrounding Mac, their assault rifles trained on him. Recognising a well-planned operation, Mac felt like kicking himself. With Nikki as a distraction on the beach, he had not been aware of anyone creeping up and there was no better place than this for a kidnapping.

Mac lifted his hands in surrender but kept his focus on Nikki. "I've resigned from Phoenix," he said bitterly. "I don't do government work anymore. I'm out of this business."

"I know you quit. But out of this business?" Nikki laughed dryly, flicking away a strand of blonde hair that had blown into her face. "Don't you know you can never leave? Once an agent, always an agent, Mac. Besides, it would be a shame to lose your talents. Now let's do this the easy way, okay?"

One of Nikki's men lowered his gun, stepped forward and cuffed Mac's right wrist, pulling it sharply behind his back before fixing it to his left. Mac grunted, staring at the gun pointing at his chest. Outnumbered and surrounded by armed men, with no expectation of Jack magically coming to his rescue, Mac knew that to put up a struggle would be reckless. He felt a knot of fear in his stomach and really wished he had let Jack know where he was.

With Mac secured, Nikki slipped her hand into his jacket and removed his cell and keys, then retrieved his pocket knife.

"What do you want with me?" Mac breathed.

"You're smart, Mac. Work it out!"


	2. Chapter 2

Nikki had draped her towel over Mac's shoulders to hide the cuffs and her team had clustered around him. With a gun pressed into the small of his back, and a strong hand clutching his arm to steer him, he was marched across the sand to their vehicle. The beach was still deserted, so nobody would have seen Mac being taken.

One of the men opened the door of the panel van. Another got in and grabbed Mac under the arms, and he was pulled in and forced to sit against the side wall. Nikki then climbed into the back. "Tape his feet together," she ordered. She knelt beside him, pleased that events had gone so smoothly; she had expected at least some resistance from Mac. She stared at him. "You'll be okay, Mac. Just keep being a good boy!" Mac scowled. His heart was heavy.

Two of Nikki's men sat in the back opposite Mac as they pulled off. After a while they relaxed, so he tested his restraints. They were tight, but he would be able to lose them if he had something sharp. He would have to bide his time. Without the support of Phoenix, he would have to save himself. He wondered if Jack had already been to his house and if his partner realised yet that he had not been home. Jack would surely start searching for him, and Riley would hack the street cams and eventually find his car. With luck, they would do so sooner rather than later, before his trail went completely cold. His thoughts strayed back to his father, who would probably not have the slightest concern about his fate. But he knew with utmost certainty he could still count on Jack to watch his back. Jack cared about him and would not let him down. As Mac latched onto this seed of hope, he felt strength seep back into his body.

The van stopped to refuel. The emotional stress of the day was taking its toll, and Mac had been drifting off. He sat upright with a start, his shoulders feeling the strain of keeping the same position for too long. The men aimed their guns at him. One scooted over and clamped his hand over Mac's mouth, pushing his head against the wall and his gun into his neck. Mac tensed. "Don't do more than breathe, Macgyver, or you'll be biting a bullet." The door opened with a creek, letting in a shaft of sunlight. Nikki peered in. "All fine, boys?" she enquired. "All good," one grinned. "Our package is doing well."

The next stop felt like several hours later. Mac had tried talking to the men, to find out any information that would shed light on his situation, but they had threatened to tape his mouth. He had not worked out why he had been taken or what they wanted with him. Did this have something to do with the Organisation? Was Nikki really working for the CIA or was this some other undercover job? He could not tell with Nikki. He had loved her once, perhaps still did, then she had betrayed him. Now he was unsure of so many things. The biggest mystery was how she had known where to find him. She had also known of his resignation from Phoenix. Either news travelled fast, or someone wanted her to know. She knew he would not be with his team and, in his emotional state of mind, would be an easy target. Things just did not make sense.

The back doors swung open and Nikki hopped in with a strip of cloth. "It's better you don't know where you are, Mac," she said matter of factly, and wrapped it firmly around his head, covering his eyes. "Right, hurry up and bring him." One of the men pulled out a knife and cut the tape binding Mac's feet. The other pulled him up by his arm and walked him to the exit before helping him down. Nikki watched impatiently. "Remember, Mac, play nicely, because there are guns pointed at you."

She took his arm and walked him into a dilapidated warehouse then down a flight of concrete stairs. He stumbled briefly, and she steadied him, before making him wait while a door was unlocked. He was led inside and pushed into a rough metal chair. Somebody fastened his ankles tightly to the chair legs. Clearly he wasn't going anywhere very soon.


	3. Chapter 3

Mac had been in similar situations, but the uncertainty of this one filled him with fear. He focused on his training, preparing for an interrogation that was most likely to happen next. He would not answer any questions, even though technically he did not owe allegiance to any organisation since he was no longer an agent. But he would be loyal to his team, because they were his family and always would be. He would never share intel that could put them in danger. On the bright side, if there could be one, perhaps now he would understand why he had been taken.

The room was silent, apart from a pen being randomly tapped on a table. Mac could hear his ragged breathing and tried to calm it into a steadier rhythm. He knew Nikki was still there because he could pick up the lingering scent of her shampoo, mingled with the damp in the room.

So far, he had not had any opportunity to escape – Nikki had taken good care of that. She knew his capabilities and was not taking any chances. He really wished that Jack would burst in and get his butt out. They were a team. That's how it had been since he had arrived in Afghanistan, a green 19-year-old kid. To think that Jack still thought of him as a kid sometimes! He smiled, flashing back to how they had navigated through some of the world's most dangerous hotspots and always managed to come out of the worst situation alive. He trusted Jack with his life. He thought about Bozer and Riley and how supportive they were to each other as a team. Even Matty was affectionate in her own way. Everybody had a role and brought something special to the team. He suddenly felt alone and, for the first time in a very long time, desperate.

Mac licked his dry lips. "Can I have some water, Nikki?" he asked. She huffed, filled a glass with tap water and held it to his lips. He gulped down the sips he was allowed. "Thanks. And is the blindfold really necessary?" he asked, turning his head in her direction. "We're going to make you comfortable soon, Mac," she said after some moments of silence. "But first there's someone who's going to talk to you."

As if on cue, the door creaked open. She turned to Mac, resting her hand lightly on his arm. "Think about what he says and make the right decision. You may not understand the big picture right away, but you'll soon realise which side of the fence you should be on. I'll be back later."

"You're not staying?" asked Mac in surprise. As much as he accepted now that Nikki was a traitor, he really wanted to believe that deep down she would not want him hurt. It would be better in this situation to have her stay than to be vulnerable and alone with someone he couldn't see.

"I don't need to," Nikki responded. "Not for this part." Mac felt a fresh wave of fear roll over him.

"He's all yours," she said to the newcomer. "Treat him well, will you? He's an old friend of mine."

Old friend, Mac thought. So that's what their relationship had meant to Nikki. They had never really spoken about 'them' again on their brief encounters after Nikki had turned out to be someone else, leaving Mac to mend a broken heart.

The footsteps approached, and Mac's sense of dread amplified. A hand grabbed his chin firmly, tilting his head up. "Hello, Macgyver!"

Mac ran the voice through the databank in his head without a match. The man was soft spoken with a light Mexican accent, but there was a threatening undertone. He smelled of gun powder and smoke. Mac imagined that the newcomer would pack a powerful punch. "Do I know you?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. But I know you well." The man walked around Mac slowly, like a predator circling its prey, before pulling up a chair and sitting in front of him. "Like I know Dalton, Riley, Bozer and Matilda," he said, leaning in. Mac could feel the man's hot breath on his face. His fear turned to anger and his shoulders shuddered.

The man took time to flip through some papers. "You have an impressive record in the field, Macgyver, notwithstanding a mishap here and there. You completed all your missions and have proven yourself many times. Now that you are unemployed, we can make good use of your skills."

"I'm not looking for work," said Mac flatly. "If this is your idea of a job interview, I'm not interested."

The man laughed. "So you think you are just going to move on? Do you have any idea how many enemies you've made? He stood up and paced around the room.

Mac suspected that the man was good at interrogation, but not quite as good as Cage, and wondered when he was going to feel a fist connect with his abdomen. Interrogations always involved pain when they didn't go the interrogator's way. He shifted uneasily. "Are you one of them?"

The man ignored him. Standing behind Mac's chair, he put his hands on the young man's shoulders and leaned in again. "You saw how easy it was to take you today, Macgyver. How difficult do you think it would be to take your friends?"

Mac chilled at the threat. So this was how it was going to play out! They would threaten his friends to hurt him. Fastened to a chair and blindfolded in an unknown location, he was much more concerned about them than for his own safety. He was unable to warn them and in no position to help protect them. To be responsible for his friends being placed in danger did not sit well with him. Bozer had only become an agent because of Mac, while Riley had seen her fair share of a rough life. With the emotional wounds of the past two days, he would not be able to summon up the strength of mind to watch anyone hurt Jack. Besides, accepting an offer might also present an opportunity to find out who had him and escape. This was the best option he had.

Mac bowed his head and sighed. "What do you want me to do?"


	4. Chapter 4

Nikki had kept her word. Mac had been moved to a small room with no windows. A naked bulb burned dimly from the high ceiling. The cuffs had been removed from his wrists and he had been given a sandwich, bottle of water and a blanket. A heavy metal cuff, connected to a length of chain that was fixed to the wall, had been fastened around his right ankle.

"It's just for my assurance," explained Nikki. "Can't have you leaving now, Mac. And it's temporary. Just until you've had a proper briefing."

Mac looked tired and the usual spark was missing from his eyes. Nikki couldn't quite place what was so uncharacteristic about him. It was not her business to be concerned, but she was curious. "Why did you resign from Phoenix anyway?"

"Long story," Mac sighed. "Let's just say I've been blindsided one too many times. I'm finished having my life in the hands of people I can't trust." Nikki shifted uncomfortably.

He looked directly at her. "How did you know I had quit? And how did you know where to find me?"

Nikki looked away and said nothing.

"Is there another mole I don't know about? Now that I'm not there anymore, you can tell me."

"Mac, I don't know of any moles in Phoenix. And, remember, I'm a hacker, and I get intel too. I know more about you than you think."

"Great! So you've been tailing me. Why?"

"Let's just say this is my mission. And I'm not at liberty to tell you anything more," she snapped.

She noticed his hunched shoulders, sore from having had his arms restrained for most of the day, and his wrists, which were red and chafed. His ankles would probably also be bruised. The room was cold and he would not be sleeping on a mattress. She softened slightly. "Is there anything else I can get you, within reason?"

"I guess a key is out of the question?"

Nikki smiled. "Don't try to escape, Mac. You will not get a second chance and I won't be able to save you. There will be an armed guard outside your door, so even if you ever manage to get loose, you won't get very far. I'll leave you now to rest."

Nikki turned and left, locking the door behind her. Mac heard her warning the guard outside to be alert.

The day had really sucked so far and it seemed there was little improvement. So many things still did not add up. He had escaped from many seemingly impossible situations before, and he would do all he could to do so again. Thinking back to his first meeting with Matty, perhaps he would need a bit of the luck she thought he had, considering the lack of resources around him.


	5. Chapter 5

Finding out that Mac had resigned, Jack had immediately left to catch up to his partner. Matty had stepped in front of him as he reached the entrance. "Where are you going, Jack?"

"I need to talk to Mac," he said, the urgency of the matter written in his face.

"No," said Matty. "Leave him. Let him have space. This is his decision and he needs time to think."

"This is important, Matty." Jack knew that Mac was quite capable of making his own decisions, but those driven by impulse and fuelled by emotion were generally the wrong ones. He knew all about that from his own experiences.

"Jack, I need to talk to you now. Dalton! Go to the interrogation room. That's an order!" Matty's dark eyes flashed in anger, warning Jack not even to consider defying her. She really could be Matty the Hun, if that's what it took to convince Jack to comply.

Jack frowned. Matty was slowing him down on purpose. He really wanted to be there for Mac, because that's what he did. In every situation, good and bad, they were there for each other. "Fine," he sighed, throwing up his arms in despair. "But please can we be quick." Matty gave him a glare.

"Sit, Jack!" Matty gestured to a chair. "I know this is a difficult time for Mac. The last place he would expect to find his father was here, watching him, yet choosing his own course of action for his own reasons. Mac's resignation is completely understandable – hell, it's probably what anybody would have done in this situation. But Mac is strong and resourceful. He has all the qualities that make him a brilliant agent. And he had the chance to go on a mission with his father and see that they work well together. So, Jack, he just needs time to process all of this, without any pressure from this team."

"Matty, I have seen Mac deal with abandonment issues more often than is fair to him. His father's rejection has hurt him deeply, and it kills me to know he's in pain." Jack was struggling to say the words that had been on his mind since he got to know Mac. "Do you know how difficult it must be to accept that your father doesn't love you? I've tried to fill that gap in some way for Mac for so long now, because I've seen those wounds in his heart. For me to abandon him right now is just wrong!"

"Okay," said Matty, "Give Mac some time to think and go and check on him tonight."

"Sure," said Jack, "But I'm still not comfortable with this give-Mac-some-space thing."

"I know you mean well, Jack. Just remember that I care for him too."

When Matty left the room, Jack went straight to the bathroom and called Mac anyway. His call went to voicemail. So, Mac has switched off his cell, Jack thought. He was still thinking about how to contact Mac when Riley and Bozer spotted him.

"Ri, can you track Mac? His phone's off and Matty is checking that I don't follow him." Bozer looked concerned. "Mac never switches off his phone. Man, this must be hard on him!"

"I can pull up the street cams to see where he is," said Riley. "Thanks," said Jack. I just want to make sure he's safe."

They could see on Riley's screen how Mac's car sped away from the Phoenix parking bay. Switching from one camera's footage to the next they traced him half way home. Then Mac turned off the usual route and Riley had to search footage from other cameras to see where he went next.

"Where do you think he was going?" Bozer asked. "I don't know," said Jack anxiously.

"This is the way to the beach," said Riley. I can track him up to a block before the intersection with the beach road and after that there are no more street cams. What I can do is set an alert to see when Mac's car reaches home."

"Thanks, Riley. If he isn't home by lunch time, and if his phone is still off, I think we should take a drive there ourselves," said Jack. He stared at the clock. "These will be the longest three hours of my life!"

Xxx

At 1pm, Mac was still off the grid. Jack headed to the parking lot through the Phoenix's back exit to avoid Matty. He knew his partner and was certain Mac would need help to get through this. Mac was brilliant by all means, but the way in which he dealt with his feelings was dodgy by Jack's standards, which is why he was deeply worried about his kid. Riley and Bozer stepped out from the bushes and quickly got into Jack's car.

"Think we'll find Mac taking surfing lessons?" Bozer joked to ease the tension. "I don't care what he's doing, as long as he's safe," said Jack.

They drove slowly along the beach road leading away from the city until Jack spotted Mac's car. It was the only car in the parking area. Jack pulled up next to it. The bonnet felt cold and there was nothing on the seats that left a clue as to Mac's whereabouts, so they went onto the beach. "Our boy's been here for a while. We just need to find him," said Jack.

"I don't see anyone," said Riley, scanning the beach, "but there is a lot of footprints leading from those rocks on the left. Looks like prints from military boots too." Following the trail, they found the cove Mac had been sitting in earlier.

"This is the perfect hideaway for someone who wants to be alone," she said.

"And for somebody to get into trouble without anyone seeing," said Jack.

"Look what I found," called Bozer, inspecting behind some rocks at the side of the cove. In the sand among the footprints was an empty bullet shell. "These prints are fresh, as the tide is still on its way in," he said.

Jack ran his hand through his hair. "It looks like we missed a party this morning, where everyone left together. And I suspect they took Mac with them."

He whipped out his cell and pressed the speed dial to Matty's number. "Mac's in trouble! Yes, I am sure. His car is here, but he's gone!" Within minutes Matty had dispatched a team to comb the area for clues.

"This should never have happened again," said Jack, pacing angrily in Phoenix's war room. He knew he should have followed Mac immediately when his partner had left. Now things had gone wrong. Mac had to be in danger, as he would never have just disappeared on his own.

"Honestly, Jack, who knew this would happen?" A flash of sympathy escaped under Matty's fierceness.

"We will focus all our efforts to find him and bring him back safely." Jack appreciated Matty's support. He couldn't help but wonder if she felt guilty for stopping him from following Mac or if she just wanted to spare herself having to inform Mac's absent father that his son was missing.

She studied the evidence on the big screen that was being posted live. "Think this was Murdoc's work?"

"Not this time," said Jack. "From what we found and how I think the situation played out, this looks like a well-planned military effort."

Soon Riley had pulled satellite footage from earlier that morning and was zooming in to a vehicle parked next to Mac's car. It was a white panel van. "That's all we can get," said Riley. "Put a trace on that vehicle," Matty ordered. Soon Riley picked up the vehicle again, speeding south.

"They've had a two-hour head start. Dalton, what are you waiting for? Go!" Jack sped to his car with Bozer on his heels.

"How do we know Mac's in there?" asked Bozer. "We don't," said Jack. "But I'm willing to follow up on any real clue we get."

"Hang in there, Mac, we're coming for you," he muttered to himself. Jack was relieved that he could do something at last, as waiting put him on edge and made him feel helpless.

Riley traced the van to a gas station, where it stopped to refuel. They saw a woman jump out the passenger door, open the back door, then close it again after a few seconds. "Mac is probably in the back," said Matty. "Can you zoom in on her?"

"She's taking a lot of effort to hide her face from the street cams," said Riley. "They're back on the road again, heading east."

"Jack, drive faster. We don't want to lose them." Matty's sense of urgency made Jack more determined to get to his partner.

"So, what's the plan?" asked Bozer. "You're asking me?" said Jack. Mac is the one to cook up the plan, he thought. He turned to Bozer. "We improvise. I learned that from the best!"

After two hours, the van left the highway and took a turn towards an industrial area where some of the blocks had no street cams. "Looks like they want to hide," said Matty. Despite making up time, Jack was still a good 90 minutes behind the van carrying Mac.


	6. Chapter 6

Mac sat on his haunches in the corner. His fingers shook as he unwrapped the sandwich. It was the first meal he was eating since he had unexpectedly been roped into his father's mission in Mexico. Adrenalin had been pumping in his body almost non-stop during a 48-hour rollercoaster ride, and it would be a matter of time before his body kicked back with a massive headache.

Mac would need a clear mind to find a way out. Breathing deeply a few times to focus, he scanned the bare room. All he had was a blanket, an empty plastic water bottle and a bucket. Nikki's team had taken his belt – she had made sure he had as few resources as possible that could potentially help him to escape. Fortunately, she had left him with his jacket, as the temperature was dropping and condensation was already forming on the walls. It really sucked to be a prisoner, but he wouldn't be for much longer if he moved quickly.

He would need to get the cuff off his ankle and figure out how to get out of the cell. Leaving through the front door would not be a good option. The men who had taken him at the beach were burly, and they were armed. A one on one fight would be a challenge; two tackling him at once would probably not end well for him. While he could stand his ground and take down opponents, hand to hand combat was not his preferred choice of attack. In Mac's experience, there were far more effective ways to neutralise enemies that did not require ice packs on the knuckles the next day.

He glanced around the room again. The building they were in was old. Moisture damage on the walls indicated that this was an underground room, probably once used for storage. Rooms such as these were a fire hazard, so by law there had to be ventilation. Mac took off his boot and began tapping the heel on the wall opposite the door, softly enough to avoid arousing suspicion. He was soon rewarded with a hollow sound about two thirds of the way up the wall. Someone had bricked up the vent pretty well. Scraping the grouting with his nails, he hoped to find a weak spot that would enable him to dislodge a brick.

Progress was painstakingly slow and after a while Mac's fingertips were raw. He would have to do this Jack style. Holding the blanket in front of a brick in the top row, he gave a well-aimed punch that would have impressed his partner. The brick cracked loose and Mac prised it out, revealing a large rusty fan protected by a wire grid. The shaft behind was wide enough to accommodate him with a squash. Mac quietly removed the other bricks and ripped out the grid and the blade. Working a loose end on the grid, he wriggled the wire in the keyhole on the cuff binding his ankle – and the latch sprang back.

Pulling himself up the wall, he eased into the opening and went head first into the shaft. The path ahead was musty and tight. Wriggling on his stomach into the dark, he bit back the rising panic of claustrophobia. Despite the cold, his hair stuck to his forehead in sweaty clumps. The unfinished joins in the metal, sharp as blades, cut his body, and blood flowed down his arms. As Mac inched his way forward, the fear of being discovered missing from his cell slowly melted away with the anticipation of approaching freedom.

The shaft reached the main air shaft, which was considerably wider and ran vertically upwards. Judging by the cooler metal, and an air pump blocking his way forward, Mac guessed the structure was fixed to the outside of the building and led to the roof. He felt around for an opening that a technician might have used. Finding none, he lay on his back and pressed his feet against the top of the shaft. The rusty metal gave way at the joint and popped open. Mac got a breath of fresh air.

As he turned in the shaft to climb out, people started yelling and gunshots fired into the night. Mac's moment of relief turned to panic – his captors had discovered his escape! He would need to move fast and find cover before they came after him!

He squeezed out of the shaft, jumped down, then froze. Jack's car was parked across the road!


	7. Chapter 7

Mac had still not made contact and nobody had called Phoenix with a ransom offer when Jack turned into the industrial area. He followed the same route as the panel van had driven until lack of camera coverage made it impossible to track the vehicle any further.

Tired warehouses, some with expansive yards, and factories with dirty concrete silos and rusty chimneys lined the streets. Most of the buildings were derelict and no longer in use.

"Matty, finding Mac here will be like finding a needle in a haystack," said Jack, exasperated, over the comms. "Except that I will find the needle! Don't worry, bud, I will tear this place upside down to find you."

Riley grinned. "I might be able to narrow down the locations. If I can convert satellite data into a thermal map, we can see which buildings have people in them. There!" A few seconds later a colourful image popped up on the big screen in the War Room.

"Jack, there are five possible locations and we're feeding them into your GPS right now," said Matty. "Cruise past and see if anything looks unusual. Remember, we have no intel, so we're going in blind, and these people are probably dangerous. As soon as you locate Mac's whereabouts, I will send a tac team to support you."

Jack drove slowly past the first location. It looked like some developers were chatting with a landlord in the parking area. The second was a storage depot where two security guards were leaning over a boom. "Too casual," said Bozer. "That's not likely to be it."

The third address had several cars parked outside. There was also no place to hide a vehicle on the premises. "Our boy's not here. This is a bunch of office staff," said Jack.

The fourth location, a very old warehouse, was much further away and up a few side streets. Isolated and forlorn, it would be an ideal spot to hide a prisoner, Jack thought. He had a strong suspicion that this was where Mac was being held. He did not want to think under what circumstances he would find his partner. If he wanted to save Mac, he had to keep his head in the game.

"Matty, this road is as quiet as a graveyard. If I pass the gate, we're sure to get some attention," said Jack.

"Okay, boys, check it out, but stay out of sight. And be careful."

"Aren't we always?" Jack grinned.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" asked Matty. "We could be here all day!"

Jack parked behind the warehouse. There was very little to offer them cover, but the thickening darkness of evening would work in their favour. The older man checked his gun and got out, followed by Bozer.

"Stay behind me," he warned, pulling Bozer back. The other man's nervous excitement made him edgy. Gun in hand and hugging the outside walls with his back, Jack signalled to Bozer to come and they made their way cautiously around the building towards the front.

The huge wire gate, opening onto a large loading bay, was locked, but there was a hole big enough to crawl through.

"What do you see?" Matty was trying hard not to sound impatient.

"Nothing's happening outside and there's no van, but there's a light inside. I'm going closer to get a better look." He moved carefully across the dark quad towards a frosted glass door, Bozer behind.

"Don't do anything foolish, Dalton. I want you and Bozer back alive," said Matty.

After many years in the field, Jack had the agility and speed to spring a surprise attack, which he was eager to do if Mac was inside. It might be too late for Mac if he had to wait for a tac team to arrive. He had also learned to trust his senses. Right now, something didn't feel right.

"Looks like we have company!" said Jack "Let's go!"

Firing shots into the shadows of the bins against the wall, he grabbed Bozer and ran towards the gate. Shots fired back and a burning pain in his thigh brought him crashing to the ground. "Run, Boze," he yelled, twisting round and dispatching another spray of bullets, despite the pain, to cover for the younger man.

Jack tried to get up, then staggered and fell as his leg failed him, the pain shooting like fire through his body. He heard a familiar click behind him. "Drop it." Jack slowly put down his gun. He looked up at Bozer, about to go through the hole in the gate. He too had stopped, and was rising slowly, facing the barrel of a gun. The younger man walked slowly back to Jack and kneeled as told. A man stepped forward, removed their comms and cable tied their hands behind their backs.

This had been an ambush, thought Jack. Somebody had been expecting them. Now he was in no position to help Mac; instead, he and Bozer were in trouble. With his leg bleeding out, and nobody making any move to stop the blood loss, he didn't even know if he was going to make it back.

Nikki stormed out the door. "Where's Macgyver?" She eyed the redness seeping over Jack's pants. "If he doesn't come back, you're not getting any medical attention," she said angrily. "Do you hear that, Mac?" she called into the night. "Jack's going to die if you don't come back now!"

A young blond stepped out of the shadows and walked to the front gate, hands up in surrender. "Nikki, I'm here!"


	8. Chapter 8

Finding Jack's car and then hearing gun shots, Mac had hurriedly moved on the outskirts of the warehouse to the front, staying hidden in the shadows. He saw Jack fall and Bozer forced at gun point to join his partner. When Nikki had called out her ultimatum, he gave himself up without a second though. He would do whatever it took to save Jack and Bozer.

As he came through the hole in the gate, a gun stock smashed down on his shoulder, sending him sprawling onto the paving. The man lifted his rifle again. Nikki gritted her teeth. "Stop!" she ordered. "We're not injuring him!"

Grabbing him roughly by the collar, the man lifted Mac, shoved the gun into his side and walked him over to Jack, before pushing him onto his knees. Bozer looked terrified and Jack was breathing rapidly. A glance at Jack revealed a gash on the side of his blood-soaked jeans, which now glistened in the darkness. He had rolled over onto his side. "Bud," he panted, "You should not have come back." Jack was going into shock.

"Nikki, please let me stop the bleeding!" Mac looked up at her, his eyes pooled with anxiety.

Nikki huffed. She was still livid. Panic at finding her prisoner missing from his cell was still fresh on her mind and now an unplanned shoot-out had wounded a Phoenix agent. Her plan, which had proceeded so smoothly until a few minutes ago, was in danger of derailing. This was one op she could not afford to stuff up. She had been asked to do this mission mainly because she knew the Phoenix team so well. Jack's arrival had been expected, and the timing had unexpectedly worked in her favour – she had got her prisoner back with virtually no effort. Thanks to Jack, Mac had walked right back to her. The bonus was that Bozer would serve as an additional hostage and she doubted he would cause any trouble. She now had all the leverage she needed to persuade Mac to do the task ahead. The bad thing was that Jack had arrived earlier than anticipated. Phoenix's back-up would not be far behind, and now Jack needed medical care. The last thing she wanted was the man's death on her hands, but she would not let Mac know that.

"Bring them in," she nodded to her team. Mac turned towards Jack, ignoring the gun behind him, gently took his arm and helped him sit up. "Bud…" said Jack, giving Mac a pained look. "It's okay, Jack. We're going to fix you up," Mac cut him off. The worry on Mac's face reflected the seriousness of his situation. Mac threaded an arm round his waist while one of Nikki's team took Jack's other arm, and they lifted the injured agent and supported him through the door. Bozer followed behind.

Nikki had cleared one of the old wooden tables in the warehouse and Jack was placed against the table. He looked like he was about to fall over. "Can we loosen his ties, as he's not going anywhere?" Mac asked. Nikki nodded and the man who had helped Jack drew out a knife and cut him loose. Mac helped Jack onto the table, lifting his legs carefully so his partner could lie down. Jack grunted. Mac took off his jacket and placed it over his partner, who was now shivering violently. Nikki produced a dusty first aid kit and Mac inspected the wound. The bullet was still lodged in his leg.

"How bad is it?" asked Jack. Mac looked at him briefly. "Let's just say it's not good, but it could be worse." Mac did not want to let on just how worried he was.

He took out a wad of gauze. "Sorry, pal, this is going to hurt," he said grimly, pressing it firmly over the area to stop the bleeding.

"I should be used to this by now," Jack attempted a grin, which turned into a grimace, and he closed his eyes. "I don't think anyone can ever get there," Mac smiled back.

After a few minutes, the bleeding stopped. Mac bandaged the gauze to keep it in place. He dug through the first aid kit and found a bottle of painkillers that had not expired. He handed Jack two and the older agent dry swallowed them. "That will take care of the pain," said Mac. "Otherwise, you doing okay, bud?"

"Never better," said Jack. Mac had managed to stabilise his partner. He still looked pale, but was shaking less. There was only so much he could do though, and now Jack needed proper medical attention before infection set in.

"And you?"

"All fine," Mac breathed. He looked over to Bozer, who was sitting silently in a chair watching them. "You okay, brother?" Bozer nodded.

Jack was relieved to find Mac unharmed, but the kid often held back his feelings and that's what concerned him. He had no idea why Mac had been taken or why Nikki was there. At least he knew Matty had heard enough to send in a team who would take care of the guns around them, and that gave him a sense of relief.

"Care to fill us in, bro?" he asked, knowing that Mac would probably not want to share too much with their audience listening in.

"Nikki's got a job for me," said Mac.

Jack lifted his eyebrow. "To do what?"

"Not sure yet," Mac said.

"And you said no, right?" Bozer asked anxiously.

Mac stared down at his hands. "I don't exactly have a choice," he sighed. He knew that while Jack and Bozer were there, he would do what Nikki wanted. She knew him alright, and now he was truly stuffed. Jack guessed what he was thinking. "Listen, bud, there's always a choice, and you need to make the best choice for you." Mac glanced up. Jack was right. There was a choice, and he would make the call.

He saw Nikki ending a call on her cell in the far end of the warehouse, way out of earshot, and then talking to two of the men. They came back briskly. "We're leaving," she announced. "Wait," said Mac, "Can I talk to you?"

"What is it?" she gave him a frosty glare. She would not let any feelings get in the way again, as she could not afford another mistake. Her job was her priority and she would be nothing but professional. Get the job done and get out. After all, that was how she had managed to get this far, and there were many bright prospects on her horizon.

"Mac, don't be foolish!" Jack warned. He knew exactly what the kid was doing. "Mac!" The younger agent walked over to Nikki, guns still following him, and turned his back to Jack and Bozer.

"Jack needs a hospital to take care of his leg," he said quietly. "He's not up to being moved about and it's not going to be long before it gets worse. If you leave him and Bozer here, I will come with you and do whatever you want me to do." He looked directly at her. "You have my full cooperation and I give you my word that I will not leave until the job is done." His heart was beating rapidly; he knew he was agreeing to something he would probably not want to do of his own free will. He lifted his eyebrow. "Do we have a deal?"

Nikki shifted her weight. She had to make a snap decision, as the Phoenix team was less than 10 minutes away. She had always known Mac to keep his promises, but losing her entire leverage was risky if things tanked. She searched his face for any trace of untruth.

"Please," said Mac.

"Okay," said Nikki. "We leave Jack." This would make her getaway a lot quicker. "But Bozer comes with us."

Mac shook his head. He knew he was not in a position to call the shots, but would do his utmost to ensure his friend's safety. "I don't want him to get hurt, Nikki. You know me. I cannot give you more than my word."

Nikki looked away. "Cuff him," she said to the man next to her, "And let's go." She hoped she was not going to regret her decision. The man turned Mac towards a dusty black jeep parked in the far corner.

"Mac, you don't have to do this!" It was against Jack's whole being to see Mac giving himself up like this. He tried to get up and fell off the table. He was not able to stop them from taking his partner again, and anger gave way to anxiety. Bozer looked dismayed.

Mac's heart lurched, the charged emotion thick in the air. "It's okay, Jack, Bozer," he swallowed. "I'll be back soon."


	9. Chapter 9

Mac's word bound him far more effectively than the cuffs holding his hands behind his back. Ignoring the yells of protest from Jack and Bozer, he willed himself to go with his kidnappers. His chest felt tight, like it was wrapped in rope, and he struggled to breathe. Foot trembling, he stepped into the Jeep and would have stumbled had it not been for the hands pushing and pulling him in. Seated in the middle of the back seat, flanked by a man on either side, his back was pressed down so that his head rested on his knees. "Stay there," one of his captors growled.

The Jeep sparked to life and spun out of the warehouse after the white panel van, which was to be used as a decoy for the incoming Phoenix team. Buckled in on the passenger side, Nikki glanced back. That was a really close call for them – too close for comfort. She had her gun in hand, in case they ran into trouble, and would only be able to relax once they were on the open road.

Mac closed his eyes. He had done without regret what he had to do to protect the people he most cared about. Now, in the undesirable situation in which he had placed himself, he felt defeated and hollow. Whatever job Nikki was going to force him to do hung like a boulder above his head, about to drop and crush him. Too exhausted to hold back his emotions, tears slipped down his face for the second time that day and soaked into his jeans. His whirling thoughts no longer made sense and were paining his head. He urgently needed to sleep and, in spite of his uncomfortable position, dozed off.

The Jeep sped silently across the country, pulling up outside a wooden cabin on the side of a lake in the early hours of the morning. The doors opened and the men got out. Mac sat up stiffly. "Out," the man on his left nodded.

The fresh mountain air was crisp, and swirls of mist rose between the pine trees. It reminded Mac of the camping trips he often went on as a boy with his grandfather. Pleasant memories and rest had made him feel stronger. Jack and Bozer would have been found by now, and Jack was probably arguing with the medical staff attending to his leg. He hoped Riley had been able to track him to this new location, even though satellite coverage didn't always show what was happening on the ground in thickly wooded areas. He had to give Nikki credit for being so sharp.

The cabin door swung open and Mac was ushered in. Half of the lounge was filled with screens and electronic equipment. The space was more impressively equipped than the War Room at Phoenix. This was possibly the permanent base of Nikki's group. There was still no sign of who she worked for, and he wondered who or what they were monitoring so intently.

A man, hunched over a laptop, pushed his chair back and stood up. He approached the new arrivals and Nikki drew him aside. Somewhere in his thirties, the heavyset man seemed to be of Mexican descent. A moustache that amply covered his top lip bristled, reminding Mac of his recent brush with the Mexican cartel. Mac guessed he was the man who had spoken to him at the warehouse and wondered if there was any link with his father's ex-partner.

He was seated at a table, one wrist now cuffed to the armrest of his chair, and given a mug of coffee. The Mexican, Nikki and one of her men pulled up seats there too.

"Hello again, Macgyver," said the Mexican. "I am glad we can count on your full support." Mac glared at him.

"Need I remind you that we have an agreement, Mac?" Nikki warned. "You need to uphold your end of the deal too." She smiled at the Mexican. "Now let's fill him in on the details."

"You remember there was a swoop in Mexico by your military and a truckload of weapons was seized?" he began.

Mac frowned. He recalled that there had been a tip-off to the CIA about the weapons, and they had wanted the Phoenix team to help intercept the truck within Mexican borders. Intel had been sketchy at most, so Matty had pulled the plug on their involvement. The bust had gone ahead under another agency and after heavy firing from both sides, two agents had lost their lives. The cartel was, no doubt, desperate to retrieve its stock.

"We know where the weapons are being stored, and we want you to help us get them back."

Mac breathed deeply. "So we are going to break into some heavily guarded base, drive out with a truck of stolen weapons and hand them back to the cartel?"

"That's right!" said the Mexican, grinning. "And we're going in today."

"How much intel do you have on security?" asked Mac.

Nikki opened a laptop and flicked to a screen showing a layout of the facility. It was not a military base, but an isolated, forested location. "The weapons are being stored in an underground room right here," she pointed at the screen. "The perimeter fencing has a radius of half a mile. It is electrified and armed with sensors that will shoot when movement is detected. There are also three drones that do regular sweeps to protect the area from above. Their firepower is enough to wipe out a vehicle. We also know that the password to the door is scrambled every 30 minutes. After three wrong tries, an alarm is triggered and military back-up arrives within two minutes. Inside the storage facility, another code is required to unlock the crates. As the weapons were brought here last week, we believe they have not yet been unpacked. If they are, they will need to be loaded onto the truck."

"What can you do to help us in?" asked Mac.

"I will trip the electricity and block the sensors. This will give you five minutes to reach the storage facility before the back-up power source kicks in, so you will need to move fast. I will give you a digital key to insert into the security system at the door to override the system and access the passwords for you."

"What about the drones? Can we take them down?"

"No," said Nikki. "That will also trigger an alarm. At exactly 12:33 there is a window period of two minutes and the area in front of the storage facility will be uncovered. You will need to wait 30 seconds before the second two-minute window kicks in. After that, there is a third window period at 12:55 and you have two minutes to drive out with the weapons." She waited a few seconds for Mac to process the info.

"This is going to be tight," he said thoughtfully, then gave a puzzled look. "If you know all of this, and have figured out a way in and out, you could do this yourselves. Why do you need me?"

"Because," said Nikki, "If things go sideways, it's your job to get my team in and out safely with the weapons. So, tell me what you need and let's gear up."

* * *

 ** _Thank you, all, for your comments - they are appreciated!_**


	10. Chapter 10

A while later the men left in the Jeep with Mac. They had an hour's drive ahead, and they also wanted to arrive early, as timing would be critical to the success of the operation. The winding mountain road was deserted, and nobody said anything. Seated next to the driver, the Mexican, Pablo, was pouring over a map. The men in the back, one on either side of Mac, were staring out of the windows.

Mac was fidgeting with his Swiss army knife, which Nikki had returned, his mind ticking over what lay ahead. Smuggling guns out of a militarised security zone held its own set of risks, but handing them over to criminals went against everything he stood for. He had spent the last few years finding solutions to save lives and make the world a safer place. Now he would be fuelling the violence and long-running drug wars of a cartel, undoing the good that had been achieved at the cost of two agents' lives. Sighing heavily, he watched the trees rush past. He wondered how Nikki had managed to switch sides so easily. Maybe she had always been on the shadowy side that slipped under the radar and chose its own operations. And if she really thought she could shift his loyalties, she was _so_ wrong! While she had the upper hand, he would have to play his part. After that the playing fields would be levelled, and he would seek every opportunity to right the wrong he was about to commit.

Compounding his concerns was the fact that he was going into a potentially deadly situation with men he did not know. They would surely have the expertise to undertake this operation, but he had no idea where their skill set lay. They were the goons who had held him at gunpoint, treated him roughly and threatened him. They had opened fire on Jack and Bozer, and shot his partner, whom Nikki was ready to let bleed out. Nikki had not wanted _him_ injured; she had needed him to be in good shape for this job. Mac bit his lip. Honestly, he had no reason to trust any of them, and Jack was not there to watch his back. It would be very easy for them to leave him there to be taken out by a bullet, or they themselves would kill him the moment they no longer needed him.

Mac chilled at the sombre thought and his mind spun. He _had_ to find a way to let Jack, Riley or Matty know what was going down and provide his location. Even if they were too late to rescue him, at least they would have a chance to recapture the truckload of weapons before it left US soil. He would need to do it without the men noticing and without alerting Nikki, who would be keeping surveillance from the cabin. No doubt she'd be watching him closely. She knew him well enough to know he would somehow signal Jack or Phoenix, and she would be on standby to block it.

The Jeep slowed as it approached the perimeter entrance and turned off the road into the trees. Pablo handed out ear pieces and everyone tested that the comms were working. They had arrived early and there was a good half hour to do a reconnaissance before the operation swung into action.

Mac got out with the men, and the one on his left, Paulsy, grabbed his arm. "Double cross us and you're dead!" Mac jerked out of his grip. "I'm in this with you," he growled, "So let's just get on with it!"

"It's okay, boys," Nikki soothed, "Macgyver is working with us. Right, Mac?" It was more an assertion than a question.

"That's the deal," Mac scowled.

Pablo dug in a black duffel bag and produced a military grade tracking device that had been modified to lock. "I have ways to keep eyes on people," he said, indicating to Mac to hold out his wrist. He fitted it and locked it in place. Paulsy looked smug. Mac rolled his eyes to fake annoyance. Secretly, he was thrilled to be gifted with this new piece of tech. These goons would be able to track him, but so could Riley. Clearly Nikki had not authorised this, as she would _never_ have allowed the device to be placed in his hands. All he had to do was find a way to connect the signal with Phoenix's systems!

"You stay with me," Pablo ordered. "You do _not_ leave my side!"

Three of the men fanned out to the left, while Mac, remaining with Pablo, went right. Mac was surprised by the man's stealth. Wielding his gun, the Mexican had the confidence of an experienced soldier. Mac wondered where the man had trained.

"Look!" The Mexican nudged him. Mac quickly refocused. It was important that he took note of the surrounds because his life – all their lives – and his rescue – could depend on that. A faint dot in the sky, looking more like a spider as it approached, was their first siting of a drone. It zoomed past a fair distance away before vanishing into the leafy canopy.

After 20 minutes, the men returned. There was no sign of people in the vicinity and everything checked out as Nikki had described. "Ready to roll?" Adams, the driver, queried. Pablo checked his watch and nodded. The Jeep reversed out of the bush and parked in front of the gate. Nikki counted down and tripped the power. The thug named Bailey cut the padlock and threw open the gates, hopping back into the Jeep as it drove in. "Stop!" called Mac. Wires that were half uncovered led to a well-hidden motion sensor positioned close to the ground, clearly a backup security measure in case anybody somehow got through the gate undetected. He leapt out and cut the wires. Their precious seconds were ticking, and the Jeep moved on swiftly towards the storage facility.

The road twisted and turned, leading to a tarred clearing with a heavily fortified door built into the mountainside. Skidding to a halt at the entrance, the men jumped out. Pablo had Nikki's digital key and was looking for a place to slide it into the security system. "Macgyver!" There in an instant, Mac glanced at the keypad and frowned. This was an upgraded version of the system they had expected. He thought fast. "We need to pick up the wireless frequency to override the password, so we need to trigger the alarm. Nikki, can you cut cell tower reception, as wide as possible? We don't want the signal bouncing out."

"I'm doing that now," Nikki confirmed. "You've got 55 seconds left to get in."

"Pablo, I need your cell!" Jack had always been reluctant to hand over his cell to Mac, and he hoped the Mexican would not hesitate or ask questions, as there was no time to explain what he was doing. Instead, he shot Mac a warning look and gave it to him. "You had better live up to your reputation, MacGyver!"

Mac fiddled with the settings on the cell and then set off the alarm. As the siren sounded, the men glared at him. He almost expected them to turn their guns on him. Then the alarm frequency registered on the cell.

"Nikki, try override the system." The alarm shut down and the panel flickered. "Access granted." The door clicked open and the men slipped in. As they entered, Mac only needed seconds to share the tracking device app with Phoenix before handing the cell back to Pablo. Riley would now be able to locate him!

Motion sensors switched on the lights revealing a large room. Confiscated guns lay on long tables in the centre. An area near the back, containing shelves of explosive devices, was fenced off. Several military tanks and other vehicles were parked against the far wall. Pablo sighted the truck he was after and the men went over to it, Mac walking with Pablo. Without drawing attention to his actions, he flicked the tracker on and off to send a signal in morse code: 'Arms heist. Help!'

As expected, the guns had not yet been taken off the truck. They had 15 minutes before they could leave, and they had nothing to do. "We could take more," the Mexican grinned, surveying the multitude of weapons before him. "Macgyver, pack these guns in too."

Mac complied with a heavy heart. He had seen how fully loaded the truck was, and if they got away, they would have enough stock to keep up a mini war for several years. Pablo had moved away to watch him and was checking his cell. Mac hoped he was not picking up any messages that the tracker had been reset numerous times. He also hoped Matty had dispatched a team by now with the right resources to stop these criminals.

With 7 minutes to go before the next window period, Mac suggested that they start up the truck and prepare to leave. The keys were missing from the ignition, so he wriggled under the dash and hotwired life into the engine. Adams climbed into the driver's seat, and Pablo and Mac moved in beside him. The truck reversed, swung round and idled at the door.

"We're moving out" Pablo announced. "Go ahead!" Nikki's voice sounded in their ears. Bailey and Paulsy pushed open the door and the truck sped ahead. Seconds later, the Jeep was following. Soon the main gate was in sight and Mac's worries shifted into what lay beyond for him once they exited. Sure enough, once they were completely out of the facility and the men's excitement at their success died down, Pablo pointed a gun at Mac and the truck pulled to a stop.

"What's this for? Mac frowned. I've upheld my part of the deal."

"Just so you don't get any regrets and do something stupid." He nodded to Adams to tie Mac's hands. The blond's heart beat faster. He had to move now, or he would probably be dead before sundown!

Holding out his wrists, he grabbed the rope as it made contact and swung a sideways punch, slamming both fists into Pablo's unsuspecting face and knocking the gun to the floor. Swivelling to face the driver, Mac brought his legs up and kicked Adams, shoving him against the door. Pablo shifted back and Mac felt a punch connect with his ribs, while an arm grabbed around his neck. Mac pulled out his knife and stabbed into the arm, again kicking at Adams. Pablo let out a curse and Adams caught his feet, deflecting the blow. Mac wriggled and kicked, while Pablo focused on grabbing the knife. A punch in the face from Adams stunned the young man momentarily and blood dripped from his lip. With the grip tightening on his neck, he was thin on air. Mac stabbed blindly behind him, and the blade connected with Pablo's leg. The man let out a yell and the arm round his neck loosened just enough. Mac dropped the knife, pushed his back into Pablo and pulled away the Mexican's arm. Adams was now punching him relentlessly. Mac lunged forward and fisted the driver, pulling the door open behind him. Caught off balance, Adams half tumbled out. Mac shoved him, falling out with him.

Before he got up, Bailey and Paulsy were there. Bailey kicked him in the side and Mac rolled over. He leapt back onto his feet and Paulsy punched him hard in the gut. Gasping for air, Mac bent over, and an elbow connected with his chin. He groaned and fell hard onto the road. A few more blows pummelled into his side and Mac's strength was gone.

"You are foolish, Macgyver," Pablo snarled. "You thought you could take us all on!" He turned to Paulsy. "Tie him up and bring him. I will give him something to regret!"

"There's no time," Nikki urged. "Trouble's heading your way. Leave Macgyver and get out of there _now_!"

The Mexican knelt over Mac. "I should kill you now," he muttered menacingly, holding a cloth to his bloody leg, "But I will leave that for next time!"

The men returned to their vehicles and sped off.

With great effort, Mac lifted himself onto his knees. His body ached all over, his face was bleeding and his energy was spent. He crawled off the road into the bush and lay there out of sight, breathing heavily.


	11. Chapter 11

The tac team had found Jack and Bozer at the warehouse and taken them back to Phoenix. Dr Mike had treated Jack's leg at their inhouse hospital and a few stitches later, pumped with painkillers, Jack was anxious to be discharged. Having failed to rescue his friend, who was missing again, he was angry with himself for messing up and putting Bozer in danger. He was also sorely afraid for Mac. The quiet resignation in the young man's eyes as he left with his captors without any resistance, haunted him. Of the top 10 most foolish mistakes to make, this was number 1! He would make the kid promise NEVER to do that again!

Bozer had filled Matty and Riley in on events at the warehouse and Riley had kept tabs on the Jeep until it turned into a wooded area and disappeared from satellite cams. The director had been waiting for the doctor to give the all-clear to talk to Jack. When the call came, she immediately left to see him.

"Hey, Jack! How're you doing?" Matty gave a brief smile of sympathy and shook her head. She was not in the mood for small talk.

"Hey," said Jack. "You know I'm always ready to get out of here!" There was only one thing he was desperate to know. "Did you find him, Matty?"

"We were tracking him until they went undercover about two hours ago." She paused. "Do you have _any_ idea why they took him?"

"They want him to do something," Jack frowned. "But they hadn't told him what yet."

"It's not like he will do it," Matty stated. "He's been in bad situations before, probably worse, and didn't say or do anything."

Jack sighed heavily. "This time it's different. He's going to do it, Matty."

She waited for Jack to explain. "He basically offered his freedom in exchange for ours. He didn't want them to take Bozer and me. He was worried about my leg and made a deal with them. We tried to stop him, but the stubborn-assed kid would not listen." His face creased in raw concern and pain.

"Then we'd better find Baby Einstein before he can do anything!" Her features were grim. She stared at the agent. "What else is bothering you, Jack?"

He was always amazed at how his boss could read him. "Matty, we were set up," he said quietly. "They knew we were coming and were waiting for us."

Matty tilted her head. "With any other abductors, I would totally agree with you. But we're talking about Nikki, who knows how you and Mac operate. She knows Phoenix. She would have expected us to find Mac, so she organised a welcoming committee for the rescue party."

Jack did not look convinced. "Did _anybody_ outside the usual need-to-knows know we were close to finding him?"

Matty shook her head. "Just the usual suspects. Anyway, Jack, it's late. Get some sleep. The doctor says you got off considerably lighter than it could have been, so if you're well enough to leave in a few hours, I'll check you out when I get back to the office. And we'll keep looking for Mac."

"Night, Matty. And thanks!" Jack acknowledged his boss's concern. She smiled and left.

Jack lay awake for a while worrying about Mac before drifting off to sleep. When he opened his eyes, the day staff had arrived, and Doctor Susan was about to check his leg. The wound was healing well enough, so he was discharged on Matty's orders. He dressed carefully and, with Riley's help, limped on crutches to the War Room. Bozer brought coffee for everyone.

"From where we lost sight of the vehicle, let's see how far they could have travelled in eight hours," Matty greeted her agents. Shadows under her eyes told that she had had little sleep. Jack guessed she had been thinking about how to find Mac, and she had probably followed up on some of her own contacts.

"Bozer, check what's in the area, as this might clue us in to what they might want Mac to do. Jack, contact all the local authorities there and inform them to be on the lookout for the Jeep. Riley, set up facial recognition in case Mac is on the move, and gather whatever intel there is on the abductors. I will give you my security clearance codes so you can dig into archives and pull up whatever there is on these men. And let's move, people. I want this done _yesterday_!"

Matty was on her way to Oversight for a rare face to face meeting. She was even more concerned after her talk with Jack, knowing that Mac's skill set in the wrong hands could cause significant damage. She was hoping Oversight would pull some strings to help find his son. At lunchtime she returned, her face stony.

"What's up?" Jack queried. He knew she had been to see Mac's father. "Anything we should know about?"

"We're on our own in our search for Mac," she announced dryly. "If he is found to be complicit in any illegal activities, as a civilian he will be liable for prosecution, so Oversight thinks it's better that we don't involve anybody else."

"That man's one helluva son of a bitch!" Jack growled. "He does not deserve…" "Stop right there, Jack!" Matty had switched back into professional director mode. "Let's focus on finding Mac." She spoke sense and Jack cooled his anger. He would rather get his partner back and his fists could do the talking with Mac's scumbag father another time.

Matty turned to Riley. "What do we know about these people working with Nikki?"

"Using Bozer's character sketches, I identified the three men. But their files on the system are locked."

"Even when you use my security clearance?" Matty was surprised. Riley nodded. "There are no other records of them anywhere and, believe me, I searched!"

Riley stared at her screen. "Someone has just shared a tracking app with us!"

"Open it!" Matty instructed. "Where's the signal coming from?"

Riley projected a map with a red dot onto the big screen. "It's got to be Mac!" Jack beamed. "It's about time he contacted us!"

Bozer squinted at the map. "I recognise that place! It falls within my ringfenced area! The signal is coming from…" He checked his notes, "A military no-go zone! What on earth is he doing there?"

The signal vanished then appeared again, then vanished. "He's sending a message Mac style," said Matty, and spelled it out. "A – R – M – S – H – E – I – S – T – H – E – L – P."

"They're making him steal weapons!" Jack was anxious to get moving. "How quickly can we get there?"

Matty frowned. "The site is a fair distance away and we don't know if these thugs are going to hang around long enough until our team arrives." She knew the most effective option would be to ask the closest law enforcement officials to step in, but Mac would be arrested with his abductors. Mac's link with Phoenix would possibly attract attention to the organisation and potentially compromise its cover as a think tank. Even if Phoenix could sidestep the spotlight, Mac would be tried as a criminal and face a lifetime in prison. Neither of these outcomes were desirable.

"We'd still have a chance to intercept them if we move quickly," Matty continued. She looked at Jack. "Brief our tac team; they'll go in by chopper and set up a road block to stop Nikki's men from escaping with their loot. Mac will probably be with them, so they need to be prepared for a hostage situation. These men will be armed and dangerous. If they are brazen enough to rob a military storage facility in broad daylight, they are likely to be pros. I will ask Oversight to delay any military response until we have intercepted them. And, Jack, you'll be leading our team from here."

Jack shook his head. "That's a great plan, Matty, but you _know_ I can't do that from here! The eye in the sky can't show us what's happening on the ground. I really need to be there to stop the show and get Mac back in one piece."

"You can hardly walk, Jack. What are you going to do if things get hot and you need to move fast?"

"If we take them by surprise, which we will because they know we can't see them, we have the best chance of stopping them. And there are probably only three thugs to take down, Matty, the ones we saw at the warehouse. Nikki will be holed up somewhere else."

Matty knew he was right. It would not be easy to oversee this operation by comms alone and planning their own ambush would not require him to get too physical. She also knew that having failed to rescue Mac earlier he would want to make sure the blond did not slip through his fingers a second time. She also wanted to make sure that this operation was successful: rescue the younger Mac, take down the thugs and confiscate the weapons.

"Okay, Jack, you can go. I know how badly you want to see Blondie again," she teased, "But this time, let your team do the work. I don't want you falling over anywhere. You are not to take ANY risks. Do you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Matty!" Jack grinned at the easy victory. With only one road leading from the security area, ambushing a vehicle should be a fairly simple operation. He was not going to let Mac down again.

Within minutes, Jack and the Phoenix tac team were in the air.

 _ **Thanks for your comments - they're appreciated!**_


	12. Chapter 12

Once Mac had caught his breath, he sat up. His lip had stopped bleeding, but his face throbbed. He examined the tracker, which was both a blessing and a curse. While it would enable Jack to find him, it could lead Nikki's team straight back to him too. If he still had his knife, he could have picked the lock. Now he was stuck with it until he could find something sharp. Nikki's men had what they wanted and he hardly expected them to return. The risk of leaving the tracker switched on outweighed the risk of switching it off. He would simply remain alert to see who came for him first.

Making sure the weapons were intercepted was now his main concern. He started sending another message, ' _Get_ t _ruck on move,_ ' when the sound of choppers approaching filled the air. Squinting upwards, he was relieved to see the two were from Phoenix. One split away – he guessed Matty had received his code. Seeing that his position was stationary, they had figured out he was not on the truck. The other chopper circled and flew in low. Mac got up carefully and stood in the middle of the road, waving his arms. With trees bordering on both sides, there was not enough space for a helicopter to land. It hovered overhead, and Jack leaned out with a cheery grin and waved back. A rope ladder was tossed out and Mac climbed up, trying not to exert too much pressure on his abdomen.

Jack watched his partner's careful ascent and saw the bruises forming on his face and neck. There was a gash on his temple and his lip was cut. Mac had taken a beating. "Good to see you, bud!" Jack pulled Mac into a gentle embrace but released him when the younger man winced.

"Good to see you, Jack!" he smiled. He glanced at his partner's leg. "I'm surprised Matty let you out of her sight."

"Blondie, I heard that," Matty's voice came through on Jack's cell, which he had set a little earlier on speaker. "Now tell us what's going on." Jack handed Mac an ear piece to link him on comms and switched off the cell.

"Matty, Nikki and her group are assisting a cartel to retrieve a truckload of weapons that was confiscated in Mexico about a week ago. The truck was being stored at the military facility here. I went in with them and helped them leave with the truck about 10 minutes ago. While starting it up, I also rigged it to overheat, so they won't get very far with the weapons. There are two men in the truck, one of which is likely to be a member of the cartel, and two in a Jeep following. Nikki is keeping surveillance from a cabin about an hour's drive from the facility."

"Thanks, Mac. We've got eyes on the truck," Matty confirmed. "How far do you think they'll get?"

"About 15 miles."

"Jack, you need to get ahead and be ready to intercept them."

The agent issued instructions to the team leader in the other chopper then turned to Mac, who was now leaning back with his eyes closed.

"You okay, buddy?" he asked, gently squeezing Mac's shoulder. He could take stock of Mac's visible injuries, including the cut on his head, which might even need a stitch or two, but he could not guess at what all the kid had been through since walking out of Phoenix. He would have a long talk with him when this was over. Mac nodded and smiled. Jack lifted the younger man's arm and rotated the tracker. "Let's get this fancy bracelet off, shall we?"

Their chopper had sped ahead of the other as Riley located a suitable place to land. The tac team agents then positioned themselves near the side of the road, rifles aimed through the foliage, waiting for the truck to pass. Jack stayed where he was, keeping his leg as immobile as possible. He was glad he could keep an eye on Mac. He was also now in constant contact with the team in the other chopper, which was doing its best to keep the vehicle under surveillance from above, especially as the thick greenery growing over the road masked it from view from time to time. Suddenly the truck slowed and pulled over, a small cloud of smoke rising from the front. Two men hopped out and leapt into the Jeep. "They're heading your way, Jack!" As the Jeep passed under another green roof, it did not reappear. The chopper hovered for a minute. "We've lost them! There must be a side road!"

"Leave them and secure the truck," Matty ordered. "Jack, maintain your position until reinforcements arrive." The helicopter returned to the truck and the tac team agents descended a rope ladder, taking up positions to guard the contents. The team leader lifted a section of the heavy tarpaulin covering the load and confirmed that the firearms were still there. Mac breathed a sigh of relief and his shoulders relaxed.

Within minutes a further three tac team agents arrived in an SUV and set off in search of the missing Jeep. "Okay, boys, you can come home," said Matty, and the chopper took off for Phoenix.

With adrenalin fading fast, Mac felt drained. An ache in his side was becoming more acute. He shifted slightly to find a more comfortable position. "What's up, bud? Where's the pain hitting you?" He indicated to his right side.

Jack was concerned. Mac was leaning back again, and his skin looked clammy. The agent placed two fingers on his friend's neck, finding a strong pulse. "Can I see?" he asked. Mac lifted the bottom of his shirt, revealing a large purple bruise. "You'll need someone to check that out for sure. Meanwhile, I can vouch for some really good painkillers."

"Yes, please," Mac mumbled. "Then I think I'll go straight home and sleep it off."

By the time the chopper landed, the painkillers had started to take effect. Matty was waiting on the helipad with some of the Phoenix security guards. Jack got out slowly, adjusting his weight onto his crutches, and Mac came out carefully after him. "Good work, Jack!" Matty congratulated him. "You secured the firearms and brought Blondie back!" Jack grinned and winked at Mac. "It's not the same without him." Mac's smile faded as he realised that security was there for _him_. "Blondie, you gave us all some more grey hair with all your recent activities." Matty's eyes darkened as she got a better look at him. "I see you had your own mini makeover too! I think you both need to take a trip to medical and then we'll do a debrief."

Mac frowned. "Matty, I didn't plan on staying. I … "

"I know, Mac, but I need to follow protocol. You've been here long enough to know the drill."

"To hell with protocol!" Jack growled. He could see his partner tensing. "The kid's just had a rough time! Can't we do this tomorrow?" Matty didn't budge.

"Bud, honestly, I didn't know this was going to happen!" Jack wanted Mac to know he was being sincere. The last thing he wanted was for Mac to think he was in on a plan to detain him.

"It's fine, Jack, Matty." Mac rasped. He knew protocol meant he was under house arrest until further notice. Security should have cuffed him by now and taken him to a holding cell, but Matty was going about this very diplomatically. "Let's just get done," he sighed. He really didn't want to hang around to bump into his father again.

Followed by security, they reached the inhouse hospital facility. Dr Susan offered a sympathetic smile to Mac and Jack. "Hi guys! So, who am I seeing first?"

"Jack," Matty informed her. "Mac, you're going into Room 1." She walked ahead and opened the door for him. "I want to talk to you as soon as the doctor has patched you up." Jack, still limping away, looked back at Mac, concerned at the change in Matty's tone. "Don't worry, bud, I'll come see you too when I'm done!" he grinned.

Mac entered and Matty closed the door behind him. This was the room Phoenix used for 'detainees' who needed medical care – it had no windows and there was a security camera mounted on the ceiling in the back left corner. One also needed a security code to open the door from the inside. No doubt, Matty was briefing the doctor. He sat on the bed and waited.

A few minutes passed and the door opened. Dr Mike entered, having just come on duty with the night staff. "Hello, Mac! How are you doing? Any injuries you care to tell me about?"

The younger man shook his head. "Nothing that can't be sorted out with a painkiller, so how about you give me a clean bill of health?"

"Let's see if I agree with your prognosis!" the doctor joked and proceeded with the examination. He frowned at the gash on Mac's forehead, but decided it did not need stitches. The purple mark on Mac's side specifically caught his attention. "That doesn't look too good. I'd like you to stay overnight for observation." Mac groaned. The doctor didn't need to tell him that internal bleeding could be fatal. "Get changed, get comfy in bed, and I'll hook you up to an IV. I'll let Matty know she can see you when she's ready."

Mac pulled the covers up as Dr Mike returned with an IV bag. He finished setting it up when there was a sharp knock on the door. Without waiting for a reply, Matty entered and approached the bed.

"How are you feeling, Mac?"

"Fine," he swallowed. She was in business mode, impatiently waiting for the doctor to leave before she continued. He searched her face for clues about where the conversation was headed.

"I'm going to get straight to the point, Mac. As an agent at Phoenix, you excelled in the field. You followed instructions and upheld life and the safety of others, often to your own detriment. You've also abhorred guns for longer than I've known you. Then you resign and do something that appears to contradict everything you stand for." She lifted her eyebrows. "You do know that what you did today was a serious felony?"

Mac shifted uncomfortably. "Yes, Matty, I know." There was no getting away from what he had done, and he would take responsibility for his actions. "But I did what I could to make sure the weapons would not reach the cartel!"

"Well that's certainly _not_ what it looked like in the military storage facility!" She held out her cell for Mac to see a video clip of him packing guns into the cartel's truck. Mac's head sank into the pillow and he squeezed his eyes shut. Pablo had recorded the damning evidence!

"Where did you get that?" he gasped.

"It doesn't matter. Right now, no matter what your motive was, you look as guilty as sin! This evidence will no doubt be leaked. There will be an investigation leading to a criminal trial and you will end up going to prison."

Mac rubbed his forehead, covering his eyes, now moist with emotion as the bitter truth sank in. If this happened, Phoenix would be compromised. "Matty, I'm sorry," he choked. She felt a pang of sympathy for the young man whom she respected for his integrity, brilliance and selflessness. Perhaps she had been a little too harsh. But the matter was serious, and the consequences had to be addressed.

"There is something we can do, Mac," she gentled. "As an agent, you have a certain amount of protection, anonymity and freedom to do the things that civilians are not supposed to do. I have not fully processed your resignation, so if you withdraw it tonight, we can talk to the relevant departments and sweep this entire matter under the carpet."

She noted Mac's pained expression. "What about my dad? If he says no… Matty, I don't know…"

"Mac, you were happy to work at Phoenix until you found out that your father was Oversight. If that's the reason you resigned, we can work around that, and you would still report to me. As for retracting your resignation, I've already discussed it with Oversight, and he will accept whatever decision you make. I will also mention that I know of a Delta who is in need of a partner and, right now, I have no idea what to do with all the paperclips in my office!"

Mac gave a small chuckle. "Thanks, Matty!"

"Do you want time to think, Blondie, or is that a yes?"

"You know," said Mac, "I've had a lot of time to think about family lately, and it's a lonely, unpredictable world without them. So yes, it's a yes!"

Matty gave his hand a squeeze. "You owe me for making me do paperwork this late at night! And that reminds me, there's someone who's waiting outside to catch up with you. I'll send him in if he hasn't fallen asleep by now."

Matty left and Jack poked his head around the door. "Hey, bud!"

xxxxx

James Macgyver smiled and cut the feed from the Phoenix hospital bay. His son was back with Phoenix, exactly where he wanted him to be. If Angus felt _so_ strongly about making his own life choices, he would make sure his son thought he was. A little persuasion had been needed today and, by sending the clip to Matty, he had had to play his trump card now. He could – and would – play the card again if Angus stepped out of line.

James picked up a pawn from the chess board on his desk and moved it one block forward. A 50% victory was bittersweet, but any move closer to defeating Walsh was not to be scoffed at. It would have been full score if the damn key had been in the truck. Angus would not have sabotaged the wiring and his Mexican agent would have been able to present a gift to the cartel this evening. They would have welcomed Pablo with open arms, and James would have had eyes on the inside.

He had suspected that Angus would be a risk to the operation, but his son also guaranteed its best chance of success. He would need Angus to help take down Walsh when the time was right. And Dalton. They came as a package.

A burner phone rang. "Hello, Nikki…"

 _"_ _Things didn't quite end as you hoped."_

"It's fine. You could not have stopped him, but the clip was perfect. You did a great job, as always."

 _"_ _So, I've returned the favour and now we're even."_

"I might need your help again in a little while."

 _"_ _Sure. Let me know. And… how is he?"_

"He's back with Phoenix."

 _"_ _Good. That's what you wanted. I did look out for him."_

"I know. Thanks. I've got to go. I'll call you."

James dropped the burner and crushed it with his heel. He had an idea, and this time it would be foolproof, even with Angus involved.

THE END

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 _ **Please feel free to leave a review.**_


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